CALACATTA GOLD MARBLE
Designed to forge a close connection with the natural environment, this 45 meter by Alia Yachts maintains a sleek profile and constant visual contact with the sea while enhancing interior living spaces and onboard comfort
by Bryony Mc Cabe - ph. Redcharlie Media
ustom yachts are more than just vessels; they are highly personal expressions of an owner’s ideal life at sea. Increasingly, these designs embrace a profound connection to their natural surroundings, forging stronger ties with the ocean itself. At the forefront of this trend is the 45m SAN, designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design, built by Alia Yachts and with naval architecture by Lateral Naval Architects. From the outset, SAN’s owner envisioned a yacht where the water would be ever-present. This vision is most vividly realized in the open-plan main deck saloon, where floor-to-ceiling glazing, framed by narrow mullions, blurs the boundary between indoors and outdoors. With thoughtful cutouts in the bulwarks, the sea remains a constant backdrop, even when seated.
This seamless connection with the water extends to SAN’s outdoor spaces, designed to invite guests to fully embrace life al fresco. The expansive main deck, featuring shaded sofa seating, flows seamlessly down to the beach club area in the stern. Here, sunpads and folding bulwarks transform the space into a private terrace by the sea. Multi-functional furniture, such as the hi-lo teak dining table that adapts from a coffee table to a formal dining setup, ensures the area can be tailored to any occasion. On the foredeck, a versatile lounging space includes a large sunpad and a convertible table that can be lowered and covered with cushions for additional comfort.
In some ways, SAN’s onboard experience contrasts with the owner’s desire for her profile to appear as low in the water as possible. The solution was to combine streamlined, coupé-style exterior lines with a raised pilothouse configuration, maximising space without compromising aesthetics. “The main challenge on a yacht of this size and volume is that every square centimetre had to be optimised,” explains Paul Costerus, Senior Yacht Designer and Project Manager at Sinot. “While developing the layout, we had to push the boundaries everywhere while taking care
that you could still move around the boat comfortably, so the ergonomics were important too.”
To maintain SAN’s sleek profile, a portion of the ceiling in the main saloon was lowered to provide sufficient standing room in the pilothouse. This design challenge was ingeniously addressed by creating a cosy, Japaneseinspired recessed seating and dining area. Despite these adjustments, the ceiling height in the main saloon remains a generous 2.3 metres, which would be considered generous even on a much larger yacht.
The interior design’s minimalist yet refined aesthetic ensures seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. Based on a palette of teak, stained oak, eucalyptus, and tan leather, just 15 premium materials were used throughout the yacht. Despite its simplicity, the design exudes warmth, with intricate details such as butterfly joints in the woodwork, saddle-stitched leather, and polished stainless-steel accents. Apart from a few pieces of free-standing furniture, all the fitted furniture is by Alia Interiors Atelier.
For the design team, maintaining strong communication with the owner throughout the process was essential. “Remarkably, this is their first yacht, but they had a very clear vision of what they wanted. The design of SAN is the result of long and in-depth conversations with the owner regarding the desired layouts, functionality, and style,” says Davide Siggia, Senior Interior Designer & Project Manager at Sinot.
The refined palette of materials continues in the accommodation on the lower deck, accessed via a spiral staircase behind the bar in the main saloon. There are four guest suites, each subtly personalised in different shades. The golden beige Luget limestone in the bathrooms was quarried in France and personally chosen by the owner. The master stateroom is forward beyond a walk-in wardrobe and bathroom. Taking advantage of the bow shape, the bed is flanked by cushioned bench seating and long windows of compound-curved glass for plenty of natural light. aliayachts.com
Pictured here, hidden under the foredeck is a tender garage and dedicated crane. Also on the foredeck is a large sunpad and accompanying table, which can also be lowered and covered with cushions. Opposite page, to maintain a sleek profile, SAN’s wheelhouse has been pared down to occupy the least volume possible. Opening page, the openplan main saloon is surrounded by full-height glazing and thoughtful cut-outs in the bulwarks
This page, the understated luxury, neutral material palette, and harmonious design of the interior create a calming environment that feels effortlessly inviting. Opposite top, the quality and craftsmanship of the carpentry stand out as a defining feature of SAN’s interior. Opposite bottom, while most of the furniture onboard was customcreated, dining chairs from Cassina were chosen for the main deck saloon, adding a touch of iconic design
Exterior Design, Paul Costerus
Partner & Art Director, SINOT Yacht Architecture & Design
Above, SAN’s streamlined, coupé-style exterior lines were the starting point for the designers. Opposite top, the sundeck table hides storage, the sofas transform into a sunbed and the sculptural bar is designed to be a functional serving area. Opposite bottom, an expansive main deck aft with shaded sofa seating and terraced steps leads down to sunpads and folding bulwarks to expand the beach club area in the stern
SAN’s owner envisioned a low-profile, sleek, open superyacht that offers a seamless connection to the water. Their key requirements included a loft-like ambiance, versatile deck spaces featuring transformable furniture, and an unobstructed line of sight from stern to bow.
Being involved from the project’s inception allowed us to embed these priorities into the very DNA of the yacht. During the development of the general arrangement and early profile studies, we prioritised creating an exterior design that harmonised the sleek aesthetics with functional adaptability. The low profile was achieved through meticulous scaling and streamlined proportions, while the open line of sight was ensured by optimising layout and deck levels. Transformable furniture was integrated to allow dynamic use of the deck spaces, enhancing the yacht’s versatility without compromising its elegance.
The approach of pushing boundaries to optimise space while maintaining ergonomics is evident throughout SAN’s design. One standout example is the owner’s suite, located forward in the hull. Designing this space posed a significant challenge due to the sculptural contours of the hull. To create a spacious and luxurious feel, we had to innovate with layout configurations and interior detailing while ensuring ergonomic functionality. The result is a suite that feels open and inviting, despite the inherent constraints of the space.
Similarly, the guest accommodations were designed with both luxury and practicality in mind, ensuring seamless serviceability for the crew without compromising privacy or comfort. The crew areas and engine room also exemplify this approach, providing functional layouts that prioritise both operational efficiency and comfort in compact spaces.
Interior Design / Paul Costerus, SINOT Yacht Architecture & Design
SA N’s owner sought an interior that embodied luxury without feeling ostentatious, guided by the principle that ‘less is more’. This vision called for a refined yet understated design, achieved through simplicity and meticulous attention to detail.
To translate this brief into reality, we developed an interior design centred around minimalist elegance, exceptional spatial design and innovative features. A limited material palette was chosen, focusing on natural textures and finishes. These were applied to meticulously crafted details, creating a sense of quiet sophistication. High ceilings on both the lower and main decks amplify the sense of space and openness, delivering a feeling of luxury that is unparalleled in vessels of similar size and volume. To meet the client’s specific practical needs, we collaborated closely with the shipyard to push technical boundaries. Innovations include automatically hiding mirrors and heavily integrated hardware, which seamlessly blend practicality with aesthetic refinement. The end result is a testament to the successful collaboration between the clients and our design team, bringing their shared vision to life. SAN exudes a relaxing atmosphere, combining understated luxury with exceptionally high levels of comfort. The neutral material palette, paired with meticulous detailing, creates an environment reminiscent of a comfortable beach house on the water. This unique ambiance ensures that life on board feels both sophisticated and inviting, perfectly aligning with the client’s desire for a space that prioritises elegance without ostentation.
This page, a spiral staircase connects the main deck with the accommodation, featuring the same refined palette of materials and finishes. Opposite top, the master stateroom takes advantage of the bow shape. Opposite below, innovations such as invisible speakers, discreet smoke detectors, integrated AC slots, and subtle lighting preserve the design’s clean aesthetic
The Shipyard Gökhan Çelik, President,
Alia Yachts
SAN demanded complex and innovative solutions, and the challenges ran throughout the vessel. The biggest challenge was to be able to fit every visionary demand of the owner into a relatively constricted package. The placement and size of the engine room, the completely open main deck, the jet style pilot house and the speed required were all issues that needed to be analysed and solved with innovative thinking and building solutions to make sure that at the end function and comfort would match or supersede style. Furthermore, having a main deck structure with no walls wrapped in floor to ceiling glass with minimal mullions, and establishing all functions in the lower deck within the main hull, required very intricate as well as delicate design and building skills.
But that’s what we do as full-custom yacht builders. In fact, every project at Alia is a first with its own set of challenges and rewards, but we strive to learn from every project we build. This could be a technical issue or a new piece of technology or equipment, but the most valuable thing for us is the experience our teams accumulate with every project to adapt to challenges and work around them to still deliver the highest quality expected. SAN was no different and perhaps even more rewarding in that sense since it required more than the usual number of challenges.
I think the yacht turned out exactly as how the owners have envisioned it. They knew pretty much exactly what they wanted and how they wanted to live on the sea and SAN is the manifestation of their vision. By delivering such a superior project based on innovative engineering and eye-catching design, SAN further strengthens Alia’s status as one of the top custom yacht builders in the world.
This page, SAN boasts an obstruction-free sightline from the aft deck looking forward through the main saloon to the exterior foredeck lounge. Demanding innovative and complex engineering solutions, SAN was a challenging but rewarding project for Alia Yachts
